WIGuy - Fantastic time. I also picked up a timex watch to record my miles. Much easier.

Today was a tough run, thighs are still sore, and heels are still tender. Could only run 2 miles today at 14 minutes each mile. Had to walk the remaining two miles knowing I still had to mow the grass, rake the yard and pull weeds. I'm soooooo tired! I may do a little on the stationary bike tomorrow, but it will be easy. No running for me tomorrow.

I will start the C25K program tomorrow (8/16). I am well over 200 lbs but refuse to let my weight stop me from living my life. I will be 36 in October and have decided I only get one life and I should live it! My i-/pod is charging and I am ready to run...well ok I am ready to walk/jog/huff/puff...but I am ready none the less.

Haven't checked in here lately. Just got back from the gym where I attempted W5D3 - the 20 minute monster. Sadly, I was not able to go all 20 minutes non-stop. I did so good on W5D2 I even ran 5 extra minutes. But today I ran 10 minutes, then had to walk for a few and stretch out my calves. Then I ran 5 more minutes, walked another 2, then ran 5 minutes. So I got 20 minutes of running in, just not all together.

Should I continue on to W6? Or try to master W5D3 again? My first thought was to just power on to W6 but the 25 min run at the end of the week has me nervous since I couldn't even do 20. Thoughts? Advice? General cheering on?

WIGuy.............good job! I had a Timex Ironman......then went to a Garmin 305 Forerunner.........my running life changed.....no matter where I went I did not have to guess at my distance or pace....it was all there for you.....best investment (after shoes) I have made......Has a bunch of stuff for the up and coming runner....Auto Lap....Pace and distance alarms....virtual pacing partner......the 305 or 405....MONEY IN THE BANK! It has extra stuff like a footpod for indoor running.....heart rate belt to record HR......and you can download all this into the training software that comes with it........I have every run for the year mapped....recorded for analysis (elevation, Pace, Speed, Grade)....it help me in my Half training....I had 4 zones on my screen (Total Time, Lap Pace, Current Pace, Distance)....it told me during my first half that I was going too fast at the beginning and half way through the 1rst and 2nd miles I dialed it down....not having to find out too late like at the mile marker....saved me and I beat my goal time by 5 minutes.....it is a life saver....

I completed the last workout of my 're-do' Week 1....on to Week 2 on Tuesday Man, the mind is so powerful! I noticed that during most of my run I kept having negative thoughts that I can't do this....the funny thing is...I HAVE been doing this. I am so freaked out that I have to add another 30 seconds to my runs next week...why does that seem like such a big deal? "I know I can do this, I know I can do this, I know I can do this."

My knees are pretty sore today. I think it's time to buy another ice pack so I can ice both knees at the same time ;0 I've been running on concrete sidewalks so far. I think next week I'm going to move it to the track at the middle school. That should help on the knees and also to help keep a better idea of distance, since I've been using time measurement. The only issue to using the track is that I'm going to have to run in front of about 100 other parents who are watching their kids practice (football/cheer). I'm a little nervous about that...I'm sure I'm a pretty pathetic sight! All I'm going to do is to keep thinking that maybe I'll inspire one person to say to himself...."Wow if SHE can do this, so can I." Who knows, maybe we'll start a running club...what else is there to do while we wait for 2-1/2 hours while our kids practice

I also have a Garmin 305 Forerunner and I don't use it to the potential it has but I do love it and it has helped me tremendously. It is my second best purchase after my running shoes too.

I do have one problem; my heart rate strap was "dirty" and I tried to wash it by taking a damp paper towel and cleaning it; well after that it has never calculated my heart rate right; I have tried a few times and used the gel to put on the contacts before using and it still is way too low to be my correct heart-rate; any ideas?

I am not sure what I would recommend. Maybe try just the day over W5D3; just days out there are just tougher. Some time I feel I could run forever and other days can hardly make it around the block. I finished the program twice and could run 30 min straight and did a 5K and ran 50 min straight but now I usually only run 20 min and walk a few and then run another 15-20 and do it that way. It doesn't matter; my time is usually better when I break it up this way and I can go longer.

I run on asphalt roads around my neighborhood; I used to have to run really early and was embarrassed if seen. Now I run all times and in front of all even school buses picking up high schoolers. No one has said anything mean that I have hear. I just keep plugging along and they wave and give me thumbs up. I think they are saying "go donna go". LOL

HI. I started out this year 2010 with having to get off of my anti depressants and found myself in a lot of pain. I researched how to get my own feel good chemistry going and found that working out was the way to go. I also weighted 207 pounds - although everyone said I didn't look like it - I sure felt like it. I am normally a thin person and knew it was time to take charge of my life and health.

So, I signed up with a personal trainer - circumstances being what they were - I spent about $500 for 15 total hours of personal training time, worked out 3 times a week, Feb and March of 2010, lost 17 lbs, did clean eating from Tosca Reno's books and I dropped from a size 18 to 14. It was amazing to actually see this happen for me.

I got a job and going to school for my master's degree - I didn't have time to work out for May and June. Now it is August and I really need to get back on track. I am not using a trainer this time, but am using what I can at my gym for working out, sweating, and being aerobic and lifting weights. This Saturday I am trying my first ladies 5K. We will see how that goes. Having a goal to work towards really helps my motivation.

My overall goal is to weigh 130, and to wear a size 10 again!!

The best to you,

Susan

Good morning from NW Oklahoma! I started W1D1 today and I am feelin okay about it. I had a hard time dragging myself outta bed and then when I got outside to go, it was dark.....and....there was lightning all around me. The negative thoughts in me had me thinking that I was in the middles of a horror movie and I was about to get whacked by some faceless monster. The positive side in me had me thinking this could be beautiful, doing this in the middle of watching the lightning show. I trudged through my negative and went to my positive thoughts. It was beautiful! Instead of the 80-90 degree weather we have been having, it was probably between 65-70 degrees this morning. I started my run and look down and I have a running buddy! We have a stray cat that landed at our house a few years ago that I felt sorry enough to feed and then was sorry I did it. We call her "Slutty Sue" so you all can figure out the rest. BTW does anyone need a kitten? LOL Anyway, she was running right along with me. Now if Jason jumped out from behind a weed, I know she would have protected me! I had a harder time towards the end of the run and I may need to go see the chiropractor tomorrow. I still did it and looking forward to D2W2 on Wednesday! I did not eat/drink too well over the weekend; okay, my habits were abhorrent! Went to Tulsa with friends to check out the Hard Rock Casino there and I don't like them. As a matter of fact, I wonder if they will refund ALL the damn money I lost there.

Haha! I drank way tooooo much beer. Hey I wonder if they will refund that too.......Y'all have a wonderful week!

Jaychi, WAY TO GO!! I also did my first day of week one today. I had a hard time getting out of bed today too...after all it is a Monday. When I stepped outside I started with all the doubt and negative talk and it was starting to rain. However, I then snapped out of it and told myself what a perfect day for a walk/jog. The temps were cool, it was cloudy, and a light mist was falling...so I trudged over to the park and instead of focusing on my negative thoughts and heavy breathing I took in the gorgeous scenery and enjoyed the cool mist that was falling on my sweaty face! Today was day one in the new active/healthy life we are creating for ourselves! Hope your day 2 run goes well.

@wg : To the question of running for time and distance, for me I started to run for distance after I discovered I could run for 20+ minutes.. I would say that if you have enough energy to go the full distance and you overshoot the time by a bit then you should just go for it. At week 8 I think I was running 30 minutes at a shot at any rate, so technically it was beyond what C25K was suggesting.. If one day you're feeling like you can just push the time but not the distance, then do that.. I think I started working on speed during week 9 and ever since then I'll do some fartlek once a week. I'm noticing that if I focus more on my posture and relaxing, I can keep a faster pace naturally...and even then, it's maybe 15 to 20 seconds faster per mile.

@donna914 : 4 miles in the bag, that's awesome.. great feeling to see what mile post go by huh!

@jondot : Congratulations on your 5k, that's a nice quick pace you've got going there.. is that just under 11min/mile? Nice! Hey, I'm curious if you might share with me the stretches that has helped your IT band tightness and knee pain?

@wiguy : Dang, those are some impressive stats for a week of running! Congratulations, wow!!

Everyone, keep up the great work and enjoy your successes along the way! Thank you all for sharing your success and challenges along the way, it's so much help to be able to learn from everyone and share our experiences!

------------------------------------------------------

Had a great weekend on a sailboat in the San Juan islands this past weekend so it turned out to be a few rest days, but did sneak just a little bit of barefooting in there. We did a brewery tour on the Schooner Zodiac (schoonerzodiac.com) which I highly recommend.. wow, what an experience! I set my alarm to 3am this morning and was up and at it.. I felt a little odd at first but broke the rust off my bones and was right back into my rhythm finishing 5k in just under 35 minutes. I used my Vibrams this morning along with a pair of Injini toe-socks to help avoid blistering. This combination was surprisingly comfortable and I certainly did not get any new blisters!